Keep reading to learn some strategies for increasing your online sales!
We probably spent a little too much time online while in quarantine. Considering that we had shifted our focus entirely to the internet, “online” seemed like a fitting candidate for word of the year. The Internet is used to organize everything from personal gatherings and social activities to professional conferences and commercial transactions.
This is a major reason for the recent success of the online retail sector. As people have become increasingly reluctant to venture out into public spaces, they have begun to turn to the safety and convenience of online retailers. They have no excuse other than “I do not need your Internet anyway” that works even with older people. As a result, running a storefront on the Internet is now widely seen as a lucrative business venture.
Meanwhile, it’s common knowledge that having an online store has many advantages. They have nothing better to do and, since so many people have lost their jobs, they are desperate for any source of income they can find. So now we see them making plans to launch their own companies. However, competition in the eCommerce and dropshipping markets is heating up, so it’s important to have a solid marketing plan and devoted clientele to avoid drowning.
This article was written specifically for that reason. If you’ve just opened your first dropshipping store and want to increase sales during the quarantine, this guide is for you. Dropshippers at a more advanced level also need to keep a few things in mind.
Let’s get right to finding out how to increase your sales!
Loyalty Program
To put it simply, everyone has a few go-to stores, even if they are rarely discussed. We keep coming back to their online stores, whether it’s for the service or the products, because why bother with anyone else? This kind of loyalty can be entirely unique to each person, but it can also be fostered on purpose.
How, then, can this strategy be used to maximize online sales? The goal of a loyalty program is to encourage repeat business by rewarding loyal customers with special offers and other benefits. This serves a dual purpose: rewarding repeat business and enticing new customers to join the club.
Today’s loyalty programs differ greatly from those of yesteryear, with examples including:
a system of points redeemable for a company’s wares
points that can be redeemed for a discount or other benefit at a different business (like 20% off your next purchase at a different store)
rebates that can be cashed out on a monthly or annual basis in the form of cash; other rewards such as sales for loyalty program members, discounts, gifts, etc.
Loyalty programs are beneficial for everyone
Tour customers get their free or cheaper products and you get the customers who will buy products from your dropshipping store at least once a month.
With occasional customers only, your income will vary dramatically so you are never really sure what to get ready for: a good or a bad month. Loyal customers solve this problem by being the factor that makes your business stay profitable and make sales constantly. It is also a known fact that customers are likely to buy more, in order to get the reward as big and as fast as possible.
It is also a great way to stay connected with your customer. So it is good to think that businesses do not care only about their problem, but about you, a consumer of their goods, as well. With a loyalty program, people feel that even big companies with millions of customers care about every other individual.
Loyalty programs are loved by businesses because they can be used by big companies and brands but they are also a great fit for medium or small businesses. Since families usually have an impressive stack of loyalty cards for every shopping niche, they do not see a problem in getting one more from a small shop on Instagram.
You may think that a loyalty program costs too much money. However, in the long run, it can bring you ten times more benefits than the money you have spent on this. For those who need solid proofs, the statistics, that all marketing professionals love so much, has arrived.
Hold a Raffle/a Contest
Raffle
Raffles are widely used and highly effective promotional tools for generating significant interest in a product. Is there a way to implement this strategy to increase online sales? For a limited time, a store may offer a special edition of an item at a discounted price. Any and all customers (fans of the brand, participants in contests, and shoppers) eagerly anticipate purchasing the product. Since there are only so many spots available in this lottery, registration is required to participate. If they win, they will be notified via email and asked to pay within 24 hours.
Still, you need to be aware of the best ways to get the word out about a raffle. It’s a form of advertising for promotional materials. Using social media is rapidly becoming one of the most popular strategies. Some may consider it an advertisement while others may use it in their narratives.
People are always looking for a deal, so holding a raffle is a great way to promote your business and attract new customers. People are especially on the lookout for deals and freebies right now, as times are tough and the future is uncertain. Additionally, they will be aware that they have a special item that is only available to a select few. That helps build customer loyalty as well. Customers’ emails are collected when they sign up for a raffle, so you can use that information to market to them in the future.
Contest
A contest is another method of gaining access to the product, but it adds a new layer of difficulty by requiring the participant to not only answer questions or demonstrate skill in order to win (usually for free).
People will talk about your company to their friends, generating buzz and excitement as they wonder if they will be the lucky winner. In addition to helping you analyze your general audience, this tool is especially useful for analyzing your specific demographic. In addition to requesting a name and email address, you should inquire as to how they typically shop or use your product. Information gleaned from studies is invaluable when developing a marketing plan or assessing its effectiveness.
Always include a fantastic incentive. People won’t bother filling out the form if they aren’t interested or excited enough. You should offer a prize that is both rare and desirable because it will be more appealing to the winner.
Send the prize along with your other correspondence. Be careful if people in your area find out you lied. There’s a fine line between being able to win back the trust of your customers and being unable to do so at all. Your reputation, built over time, will be shattered.
How to boost online sales with Cross-Selling
Cross-selling occurs when a customer buys one of your products and you then try to sell them another product that is related to or goes well with the one they just purchased. Among the many effective forms of advertising, cross-selling stands out as particularly fruitful. These days, cross-selling is so ubiquitous that we hardly even notice it. A typical example is being asked if you need a memory card, mouse, or case for your laptop while checking out. It looks like an attempt to aid (so a busy person like yourself won’t have to go to the shop twice) and provide a piece of advice to improve, secure, and comfort your laptop experience. But that is just a marketing ploy.
Many companies struggle to tell cross-selling from up-selling. But it’s really not that hard to figure out. Upselling, in contrast to cross-selling, is about selling the same product but at a higher price due to its superior quality.
Cross-selling is advantageous because it allows you to sell multiple products to a single customer without having to develop multiple relationships with that customer. Customers are unique people with specific wants and needs, so if you want to build a lasting relationship with them, you need to earn their trust and loyalty.
To further increase the likelihood that a customer will not select the “no, thank you” button, it is important to note that complimentary products are often sold at a discount.
Conclusion: get a reliable supplier!
So there you go! This article will share three tried-and-true methods for increasing your online sales, all of which are inexpensive in comparison to the long-term payoff they provide. These strategies will help you expand your customer base, strengthen your brand, and encourage repeat business.
When deciding to use dropshipping as a fulfillment method, it is crucial to find a supplier who can provide you with all the products you sell and who will ship your products using the quickest and most cost-effective method available on the market.